Incidencia del óxido de grafeno en las propiedades mecánicas de las láminas de plástico biodegradable de quinua (Chenopodium quinoa)

Abstract

The objective of this study consisted of determining the incidence of graphene oxide on the mechanical properties of biodegradable plastic sheets made from quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). For this purpose, bioplastics were produced with different volumes of the oxide and their characterization was carried out by means of tensile tests to determine whether there was any improvement. The quinoa starch was extracted and characterized together with the raw material on the basis of the FAO technical guide, obtaining values that are within the standard. Starting with 3 grams of graphite and using the modified Hummers method, graphene oxide was obtained with a high yield, a product that was characterized by spectroscopy. The biofilms were made from amounts of starch, glycerin and water known from the literature and a completely random design was used for the addition of graphene oxide. Tests were carried out for the physicochemical characterization of the bioplastics, which consisted of moisture, thickness, solubility and permeability; in addition, degradation tests were carried out in 3 media: soil, water and environment to analyze the degradation periods of the material. Finally, the mechanical properties of the films were determined by means of tests with test tubes in the universal tensile testing machine. A one-factor analysis of variance was used to determine the significant difference between the results of the mechanical properties analyzed and, through a comparative analysis, it was determined that there was an improvement in the properties of maximum load, maximum stress, load rupture and modulus of elasticity of the bioplastic, in which TBQ-3 was selected as the best treatment due to its high improvement percentages. It is recommended to look for the improvement of maximum stress and load rupture by the use of additives.